Message from the FYS Coordinator:

We are excited about Bridgewater’s First Year Seminar program. What could be a better introduction to college and academic discourse than to take a small, topical seminar under the guidance of a passionate professor?

The diversity of FYS classes allows incoming students to pick classes they think will be interesting. FYS classes cover topics such as vampires; the politics, science and culture of food; Japanese film and theater; and Quantum Field Theory. Once enrolled, the real fun begins as students engage with a small group of similarly interested peers and a professor to form a tight-knit learning community. At many institutions, this type of learning environment is only available within majors to advanced students. At Bridgewater State College, first year students are immediately working with a dedicated professor who serves as a guide and mentor.

First Year Seminars would not be possible without our faculty, all dedicated to inspiring first year students to think more broadly and more deeply. The breadth of courses and pedagogical approaches is a testament to the diverse strengths of the Bridgewater State College faculty. Drawing on their professional experiences, faculty design assignments that foster better analytic thinking and improve research and writing skills.

But these seminars would also not be possible without Bridgewater’s students. The connection to the subject matter and small classes bring out the best in our students. They arrive eager to learn and engage, ready to be inspired by each other, the material, and the professor. And they do crazy things, such as decide (without prompting) to call the head of the Mars Rover Mission at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory to talk about whether manned expeditions to Mars make sense.

To us, our diverse FYS classes and the students and faculty who engage in them make the BSC educational experience unique and valuable in ways not found at other large state institutions.

Last Modified: January 29, 2008